Borrowed
by Starsinger
Summary: Set Before Darkness the XMen need Kitty's help.


Borrowed

by Starsinger

Inspired by a painting of Kitty and Lockheed in Darkness, this is the story behind it. Nope, still don't own them.

It was 2 am and the phone was ringing. Kitty sighed, she hoped it was an emergency; otherwise it was someone who forgot the time difference. She didn't mind living in England, she just minded that most of her former teammates forgot the nine hour time difference between the two countries. Lockheed grumbled at her sleepily as she picked up the phone, "Hello?"

It was Xavier, "Kitty, I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

Kitty repressed the "Ya think?" that nearly came out of her mouth. "Professor, it's 2 in the morning, this had **better** be an emergency."

She heard the tired sigh on the other end, "We need your help. We haven't had proper computer maintenance since you left and the Danger Room is hissing at us. Hank's trying…"

"Can it wait till my morning?" she asked. She'd trained Hank on these computers, what was wrong now?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kitty admitted that she was a morning person; she was up at 8 and finished her work-out half an hour later. She grabbed breakfast and coffee as Brian and Meggan walked in the door. "Hey, Brian, I gotta grab the jet, Professor called earlier saying the Danger Room was hissing at them."

"Hissing?" she heard Kurt ask. He hovered in the doorway, "That doesn't sound good. Mind if I tag along?" Rachael volunteered as well, mentioning that Moira had called asking that Kitty stop by Muir Island on the way back for help with **their** computers. "Katzchen," Kurt asked as they made their way across the ocean, "maybe you should start charging them for your services." He suggested as several more teams called in their "requests" that she stop by.

Kitty's eyes lit, "Tell the next one who calls that my services are fifteen dollars an hour for anyone who isn't living at Muir Island or a current X-Man or member of Excalibur." Five minutes later all of them accepted her fee and were on the docket, "Elf, I didn't think that they'd actually…" his laughter greeted this statement as she radioed the mansion to let them know they were coming in. They exited the plane noting that it was dark, "When we left the sun was up," Kitty muttered.

The X-Man on duty that late hour was Peter. They nodded their greetings as he took them downstairs and to the Danger Room. Kitty pulled up a chair as Lockheed made himself comfortable nearby. The night revolved around them as various friends came in and caught up with their friends and former teammates. Kitty's first visitor was Logan with two cups of coffee in his hands. "Hey, Punkin, it's nice to see you."

Kitty smiled as she accepted the mug from her friend, "Well, when the Danger Room starts hissing, that's a definite sign it needs help. She continued tapping at the keys and moving the mouse as Logan watched, almost mesmerized by the play of cursor and fingers across the screen. Soon, she hit the intercom, "Professor, I'm going to have to shut down Danger for a few hours. It'll be back up by class time."

Kitty picked up her coffee mug and headed for the main banks than housed Cerebro. Logan watched as she grabbed a kit from the locker and disappeared head first into the machine. "This is dusty, when was the last time, oh, never mind…" he heard coming from inside the machine.

"I'm sorry, Kitten, no one here has your touch with this thing," Logan turned at the new voice as both Ororo and Jean entered the room. Logan smiled at the women as he left the room, "Where are you headed next?" Ororo asked.

"Mainframe, thought I'd get everything upgraded and cleared out while I'm here," the maintenance on Cerebro took another two hours as the women gossiped and exchanged information.

"Kitty, what would we do without you?" Jean asked as Kitty replaced the kit and wiped her hands.

"Oh, I'm sure you'd think of something," came the smiled reply. She went upstairs and sat at the Professor's computer. It's link with the mainframe was the easiest. Lockheed draped himself over the monitor and watched her working. She never noticed that she had company as Peter watched her. His hands twitched as he finally gave into the need and got his sketchbook. It was as classic a Kitty Pryde moment as anyone could think. Peter even got Lockheed's front paws clutching the top of the monitor as he peered down at his girl. Kitty, unconsciously perhaps, had stuck the tip of her right index finger in her mouth.

The sun was just peeping over the horizon as her watch beeped at her, reminding her of her first task. Startled, she finished her task and rose from the chair, seeing Peter for the first time. "Hi, Peter," she said with a smile. "I didn't see you standing there."

Peter moved aside as she exited the room, she stopped as she saw the drawing. "Wow, Pete, that's wonderful!"

Peter blushed, after all this time, he still felt like an awkward teenager around her, "Really? I thought it was…"

Kitty's smile turned gentle, "No, Pete, it's great. Make me a copy, will you?" she asked, as she headed back down the hall. Peter smiled, some things never changed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The steady beeping of the monitor's did not show how frail her body had become. As much as he couldn't watch her now, this drawing was almost as unbearable. He almost tore it from the sketchbook as he realized that another person in his life was about to leave him. "Honey, please, don't do that!" he turned to find Rogue standing behind him. "If you don't want that drawin, Ah'll take it." Rogue gently disengaged his fingers from the notebook. She cradled it as if it were more precious than diamonds.

"How, Rogue? How do I say good-bye, again?"

"Hope, Darling, hope. Turn this into a painting, and have it ready when she comes back. She's a father, Petey; she'll come back to us. Basahdes, who'd take care of the computers if she doesn't?"

They both turned back to the room and watched their friend. Valued and loved her return was all that kept many of them sane.

Okay, if you've read Darkness, you know how this ends. If you haven't go read it.


End file.
